Valentine
by loulou26
Summary: After both their dates go wrong, Oliver and Felicity spend some time reflecting. But it's Valentine's Day and emotions are running high... One-shot.


_**Valentine**_

"This isn't working, is it?"

Oliver Queen looked up at the woman sitting across from him. "What makes you say that?"

McKenna Hall rolled her eyes and placed her napkin on the table. "Oliver, we've been here before. I mean come on, it's Valentine's Day, you bring me to this romantic restaurant, and you have spent the entire time we've been here looking at your phone."

Oliver shook his head, knowing she was right and feeling guilty for it. "I'm sorry McKenna. I…I just have a lot going on right now, that's all."

"Is it anything I can help you with?"

He knew she was extending an olive branch, trying to breach the gap that had come between them. But it wasn't enough and lately that gap had gotten bigger and bigger. He didn't know how to tell her that their relationship was going nowhere. It was mostly his fault, he realised. His heart just wasn't in it anymore and it was getting harder to come up with a good excuse for leaving when he was needed.

"No, it's just business stuff. I am sorry McKenna. I wasn't trying to neglect you."

McKenna sighed. "Don't beat yourself up about it Oliver. I kinda knew this was coming."

Oliver blinked. "You did?"

She leaned forward. "Yeah, you and I just…we don't work as a couple."

Oliver nodded slowly. "I guess we don't."

They fell silent for a few minutes as they watched other couples around them. Everyone looked so in love that Oliver felt a little out of place. His life was too complicated; he had too many secrets that could put someone he loved in danger. Maybe he was better off alone.

Eventually McKenna decided to start the conversation again. "Friends?"

That had been the last thing he'd expected to hear from her. But he would take it. He smiled. "Friends, definitely."

* * *

The rain was starting to come down hard by the time Felicity Smoak arrived at work. Not her normal daytime place of work, but her other work. The kind that kept her up late at night, had a certain element of danger in it, and generally left her feeling exhausted. Nevertheless, it was a job that she loved because she was helping to protect Starling City.

As she made her way through the key code alarmed door, she flipped on the lights and began down the stairs. The 'lair' as she called it, was located beneath Oliver Queen's new club. It was perfect for blending in, because who wouldn't expect Oliver to be at his own club every night. There were only two people that Oliver trusted with his life. Herself and John Diggle, his right hand man who, in the day, acted as his security.

She walked over to her console, cursing when she almost twisted her ankle in the ridiculously high heels she'd worn that evening. She sighed and sat down, unsure what to do with herself now that she was here. She hadn't been called in, Oliver had given them all the night off.

"Felicity?" A deep voice from behind her had her jumping out of her chair and spinning around.

"Oliver! You scared me!"

The corners of his mouth tilted up into that sort-of smile that he always gave her. "Sorry, I wasn't expecting anyone else to be here."

"Neither was I." She replied, looking down at the floor. It was easier than looking at him right now. In that suit, he was…gorgeous. That was the only word she could think of to describe him right now. And yet, it didn't really do him justice either.

He frowned. "I thought I gave you the night off."

She snorted and turned back to her monitors. In the year she'd been working with him, she'd never really paid much attention to how he looked. But lately that had changed. She blamed him for it, of course. He was always training, always shirtless and she was only human.

The few times that she had been in danger, he had always saved her, but it was the constant touches and the way he stared into her eyes to make sure she was okay that had her unnerved. He would cup her cheek or touch her bare arm so gently that it left a trail of goose bumps in its wake.

"Is everything okay?" he asked as he sat down next to her.

"It's fine."

He raised a quizzical eyebrow at her. He knew her too well. "Felicity." What is it? And don't say nothing." He added as she opened her mouth.

She shook her head. "Why are you here Oliver? I know why I am but…I thought you had a date with McKenna."

Something in his expression changed but he masked it before she had a chance to analyse it.

"We broke up."

"Oh." No, she should _not_ be happy about that. She laid her hand on his arm, feeling the warmth from his skin seep through his jacket. "I'm sorry."

He glanced down at her hand. "It's okay. What happened to your date?"

She scoffed. "Don't even get me started. It was a…disaster. I don't even know why I agreed to it in the first place. I mean, who arranges a Valentine's date at Big Belly Burger? At least you were thoughtful enough to take McKenna to an actual romantic restaurant…"

"Felicity…" He touched her arm gently, sending tingles straight to her spine as he looked into her eyes. She was rambling again, something she seemed to do a lot in his presence. She closed her eyes and counted to three.

"Sorry, I just…" She shook her head. "I know it was only our third date but I kind of imagined something a little more than a burger place, you know? I mean, I got all dressed up for nothing."

He smiled softly. "You look beautiful. He's an idiot if he couldn't see that."

Felicity blinked. She was used to seeing his disapproving looks whenever she mentioned Tom but he'd never actually said anything about him. This was new.

She cleared her throat and started typing. She wasn't sure exactly what she was doing but she knew she had to create some kind of distance between them before she said, or did, something stupid.

"So what happened?" she asked, not taking her eyes off her monitor. "With you and McKenna I mean."

Oliver let out a quiet sigh and leaned back in his chair, loosening his tie. "We just weren't meant to be, I guess."

"Well sure, I mean how many times have you dated now?" He watched her do a double take and mentally berate herself. "I'm sorry, that came out wrong. I didn't mean..."

He smiled at her reaction. She constantly did things like this, put her foot in her mouth, and then realise it two seconds later. He often found it sweet when she got all flustered trying to apologise.

"No, you're right actually. I think maybe I was trying too hard to hang on to something that should've ended a long time ago."

He saw her frown but she didn't comment on it and it surprised him to realise that he wanted to know what she thought.

"Well…" she stood up and placed a hand on his shoulder and he tried to ignore the gentle pressure and warmth of her palm. "At least you didn't take her to Big Belly Burger."

As she walked over to another set of monitors, Oliver watched her. She really did look beautiful in that dress. The subtle green colour suited her and as she leaned over to the printer, he found himself appreciating how it clung to her curves. How her long, blonde hair fell in waves over her shoulders and almost caressed her lower back.

Shaking away thoughts that he should in no way be having, Oliver crossed over to where she was standing.

"So I take it Tom isn't going to get a fifth date?" Why did he ask that? It was none of his business. He didn't know why, but nevertheless he wanted to know the answer.

She smirked at him. "What do you think?"

Oliver chuckled. "Well I think he's missing out."

She stopped what she was doing and turned to face him. Neither of them spoke and for just a moment, Oliver felt something pass between them. What was she thinking? Her face was giving nothing away, and for a second he worried that he'd overstepped the mark. Their banter wasn't usually this…well he didn't know exactly what this was.

"Oliver…" she whispered. "I…"

"What, Felicity?" He stepped in a little closer to her.

"Nothing." She shook her head. "It's…nothing."

"Hey…" he raised his hand and cupped her cheek. "You can tell me anything. You know that."

Her eyes narrowed. "I'm not sure I can say this."

"Just say it." He replied gently.

"I'm glad you're not with McKenna anymore."

Well, he hadn't been expecting that. "Why?"

For the briefest moment he saw something in her eyes, something that wasn't entirely platonic. "I think you deserve to be with someone who can appreciate the things that you do."

He didn't know what that meant, and he was too confused to figure it out. All he knew was that, at that moment, something was changing between them.

Then she stepped back and the spell lifted. He stood where he was, trying to assess what had just happened as she turned on the TV and scanned the news channels.

He knew what she was doing. She was trying to find something for the Arrow to take care of. Starling City was never quiet but tonight he'd been hoping it would give him a break. Just one night.

He walked forward and grabbed the remote from her hand, turning the TV off as an idea popped into his head.

"What do you say we put these fancy clothes to good use?"

She looked a little sceptical. "What do you mean?"

"Well it is Valentine's Day and we are all dressed up, seems a shame to waste it." He cringed at the way he'd worded it. He hadn't planned to do it, but now that it was out there, he realised that he really wanted her to say yes.

She chewed her bottom lip for a second, thinking it over but the worried look in her eyes made him wonder if it had been a good idea.

"You mean…like a date?" She asked, quickly regretting her choice of words. Of course he wasn't asking her out on a date. This was Oliver Queen. But her nerves were a little rattled from their interaction. She had no idea what had happened but she'd sensed a change in the atmosphere, and even though it was difficult, she had pulled herself away.

Oliver looked unsure, probably thinking that it had been a mistake to ask her. "Well…"

She held up a hand. "I'm sorry, I don't know where that came from." She took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. Then she smiled. "I would love to go to dinner with you, Oliver."

He smiled, not the usual smile that never quite seemed to meet his eyes but a full one that lit his whole face up. She didn't know the full story of what had happened to him on that island, but she saw the effects of it in him every day. It pained her to see it in his eyes. But right now, at this moment, he looked different. He seemed…happy.

He straightened up his tie and held out his arm to her. "Then let's go to dinner."

_**The End...**_


End file.
